Chapter 11 - The Secret Lauren’s Mother Took to Her Grave
Lauren’s mother, Helen Ellison, had died when Lauren was twelve.
At least, that was what Lauren had always believed.
Helen disappeared during a sailing trip with Thomas. Her body was never recovered. After seven days, the coast guard ended the search.
Thomas rarely spoke about the accident.
He raised Lauren and Rebecca alone.
He never remarried.
When Lauren asked why there had been no funeral, he said the ocean had become Helen’s grave.
Now Graham Vale’s claim reopened a wound Lauren had carried for twenty-two years.
Mara searched sealed records and found that Helen had worked as a neonatal nurse at St. Matthew’s Hospital during the week the three infants were born.
She had signed the admission form for the unidentified baby brought by Charles Mercer’s driver.
Six months later, Helen resigned.
Eight years after that, she vanished.
Thomas’s auditor recorded a payment from North Vale to a maritime company on the same date as Helen’s disappearance.
Lauren felt betrayed by the silence of two dead parents.
“What did they hide from us?” Rebecca asked.
“Maybe they were trying to keep us alive.”
“Secrets didn’t keep us safe. They delivered you directly into Andrew’s house.”
Lauren could not deny it.
At eleven thirty, she entered Blackstone Harbor carrying the replica trust schedule inside the legal folder.
A transmitter was sewn into her coat.
Mara’s tactical teams positioned themselves in adjacent structures. Drones watched the rooftops. River patrol units waited without lights.
The development looked like a ruined city.
Wind moved through empty window frames. Plastic sheets snapped against exposed steel.
Lauren followed instructions sent to her phone.
Tower Three.
Level Six.
Room 604.
The elevator did not function, so she climbed concrete stairs illuminated by temporary bulbs.
At the sixth floor, Andrew sat tied to a chair.
Evelyn knelt beside him.
Patricia and Graham stood near the open windows.
Victor Sloane guarded the door.
Lauren stopped.
“Let them go.”
Graham extended his hand.
“The schedule.”
“You first.”
“You are not in a position to negotiate.”
“I’m the beneficiary. Without me, the schedule means nothing.”
Graham smiled.
“You have Thomas’s stubbornness.”
“You knew my father.”
“I knew both your parents.”
Lauren kept her eyes on Andrew.
His face was bruised. One eye was swollen.
“Are the girls safe?” he asked.
“Yes.”
Relief passed across his face.
Patricia scoffed.
“How touching.”
Lauren looked at her.
“You took food from children and called it discipline.”
“I taught them hierarchy.”
“You taught them never to trust you.”
Patricia stepped forward.
“Give Graham the document.”
“Tell me who Andrew is.”
Patricia glanced at Graham.
He nodded.
“Andrew was the third child,” she said. “The unidentified infant.”
“Where did he come from?”
“Your mother brought him to the hospital.”
Lauren’s pulse hammered.
“Why?”
“She said his mother was in danger.”
“Who was his mother?”
“Helen refused to say.”
Andrew stared at Lauren.
“So we are not related?”
Patricia laughed.
“No. Your little marriage is not that interesting.”
Lauren ignored her.
“What happened to Evelyn’s baby?”
Evelyn began crying.
Patricia looked at her.
“Your son died.”
“You stole him,” Evelyn said.
“I considered it. Charles believed your child was healthy enough to replace ours. But Helen discovered the plan.”
“What happened to Matthew Mercer?” Lauren asked.
“My biological son lived for twenty-three days,” Patricia replied. “Charles found his illness humiliating. When Matthew died, Charles ordered the death record changed to hide how long he had survived.”
“And Evelyn’s child?”
“Helen helped Evelyn leave the hospital with him.”
Evelyn looked up sharply.
“My baby lived?”
Patricia smiled cruelly.
“For a while.”
Evelyn tried to stand, but Victor forced her down.
Lauren asked, “Where is he now?”
Graham intervened.
“The schedule.”
“You said my mother was Andrew’s mother.”
“I said the woman connected to his inheritance was your mother.”
Lauren understood.
“Helen created the A.M. designation.”
Graham’s smile widened.
“Anna Matthews.”
The name meant nothing to Lauren.
“Who is Anna Matthews?”
“The woman who gave birth to Andrew.”
Andrew closed his eyes.
Graham continued.
“Anna was a clerk in Charles Mercer’s office. She discovered North Vale’s earliest accounts. When she threatened to expose them, Charles arranged her death. Helen rescued the baby before Victor reached the apartment.”
Lauren looked at Victor.
The limping man showed no emotion.
“What happened to Anna?”
“She died in a building fire,” Graham said.
“Like the storage unit.”
“Victor lacks imagination.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
Lauren asked, “Why did Patricia adopt Andrew?”
“Because Helen forced a bargain. If Patricia raised Anna’s child publicly and kept him alive, Helen would remain silent about North Vale.”
“And Evelyn?”
“She was used to create an adoption trail.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“I signed because they told me Andrew was my child.”
“Everyone believed a useful portion of the truth,” Graham said.
“What happened to Helen?”
For the first time, Graham’s expression changed.
“She broke the agreement.”
“She gathered evidence?”
“She tried to move Andrew away from Patricia.”
Andrew lifted his head.
“I remember a woman at the marina.”
Lauren stared at him.
Andrew whispered, “She gave me a wooden boat.”
Helen had carved small wooden boats for Lauren and Rebecca when they were children.
Graham held out his hand.
“The schedule.”
Lauren removed the paper.
Before giving it to him, she asked, “Is my mother alive?”
Graham’s eyes moved toward the darkness behind her.
A woman’s voice answered.
“Yes.”
Lauren turned.
May you like
A woman stepped from the unfinished hallway.
She had silver-blond hair and Lauren’s eyes.
